I have a 1971 Ghia with the stock three-point non-retractable seat belts.
Besides their questionable ability to actually save my life in an accident they are a major pain in the rear end.

I have looked at retractable belts that are either from Beetles and generic retrofit belts and they all have the retraction mechanism mounted at the shoulder point and appear too large to mount in the current KG belts location.

Are there any retractable belts that have the mechanism at the bottom or better yet, something designed to fit in a KG?

_________________Scottsman
"Scottish by birth, American by law,
Texan by the grace of God"

If I understand you correctly, your recoil/retractor is mounted on the post at shoulder level??? if so, then I think a po must have put it there in error. I have a 74 with the retractors mounted where your arm/hand would naturally rest(for lack of a better term) I do seem to think that I have seen in an older KG owerns manual that they are supposed to be mounted at floor level behind seat. This would also explain why my retractor has way too much webbing on it. Hopefully someone else will have some input as well. hope this helps.

When I replaced the belts on my car the inertia reels (retraction mechanisms) are located at the side of the seats

that's not the correct location, at least for a '74 retractor is bolted on the carpeted piece by the rear seat. and the inertia reel is parallel to the side of the car, not perpendicular as you have it._________________2003 VW Passat wagon
1998 Dodge Dakota (for sale, to buy another VW)

I have a 1971 Ghia with the stock three-point non-retractable seat belts.
Besides their questionable ability to actually save my life in an accident they are a major pain in the rear end.

I have looked at retractable belts that are either from Beetles and generic retrofit belts and they all have the retraction mechanism mounted at the shoulder point and appear too large to mount in the current KG belts location.

Are there any retractable belts that have the mechanism at the bottom or better yet, something designed to fit in a KG?

You asked if there was any retractable (inertia reel) seatbelts with the mechanism at the bottom, yes there is they're like mine, the retraction mechanism goes to the bottom, none of them are at shoulder height!, you may find that the 1974 year belts were also static, please dont even contemplate buying secondhand seat belts - they wont save your life

that's not the correct location, at least for a '74 retractor is bolted on the carpeted piece by the rear seat. and the inertia reel is parallel to the side of the car, not perpendicular as you have it.

I dont care wether its correct or not, all that I know is its safe and will stop me going head first through the windshield in the unfortunate event of an accident

I swapped in aftermarket retract belts that I bought on eBay. They turned out to be from Autoloc.
http://www.thehoffmangroup.com/autoloc/product.lasso?prodinc=seatbelts
My only complaint is that the upper mounting point in the Ghia is so low that it slips off my shoulder and I have to keep pulling it back up like a chick adjusting her bra strap. It was worse with the OG non-retracs. The little tension from the retrac helps to keep it in place.